[SOLVED] How to see files from my PC in MacOS Virtualbox?

[Jeff_120]

I successfully booted MacOS (High Sure) in Virtualbox, though I couldn't reach any of my PC folders, I added 2 folders and 1 full partition as shared + auto mount +enable all the time, but still they won't show in ''Computer'' Only empty macOS folders like Music and Photos and Network (which is also empty)
What am I missing?

My PC is runing Windows 10
Oracle VirtualBox loaded machine : MacOS High Sure

 

[Math Geek]

if all you want to do is read files from the pc to the vm, here is an easy way i like to do it.

i like to create a new disk image and mount it to the optical drive. right click the optical drive in virtual box and select "create a disk image", select add at the top and then navigate to a folder/drive you want to access. it pretends it is an image and then mounts it to the optical drive. then from inside the vm, you can get to all the files in that folder/drive.

do note though that this is read only since it acts as a dvd drive so you can't save anything to that drive. but it's good for simple access to whatever you need. i do this all the time for various files i want to get to in vm's. i figured this out when i always had such problems sharing like you are trying to do. i rarely need to save back to the main OS so it's not been an issue for me. if i do need to save a small file, i just add it to my cloud drive and get to it from there.

 

[Jeff_120]

if all you want to do is read files from the pc to the vm, here is an easy way i like to do it.

i like to create a new disk image and mount it to the optical drive. right click the optical drive in virtual box and select "create a disk image", select add at the top and then navigate to a folder/drive you want to access. it pretends it is an image and then mounts it to the optical drive. then from inside the vm, you can get to all the files in that folder/drive.

do note though that this is read only since it acts as a dvd drive so you can't save anything to that drive. but it's good for simple access to whatever you need. i do this all the time for various files i want to get to in vm's. i figured this out when i always had such problems sharing like you are trying to do. i rarely need to save back to the main OS so it's not been an issue for me. if i do need to save a small file, i just add it to my cloud drive and get to it from there.

Thanks it worked
Today I am trying to use Big Sur in Virtualbox, it was High Sierra before, the Mac setup loaded and I want to ''format'' my virtual disk to mac format, the virtual disk is set to 200gb but when I try to erase it it will give me this error message:

The I/O cache encountered an error while updating data in medium "ahci-0-2" (rc=VERR_INVALID_PARAMETER). Make sure there is enough free space on the disk and that the disk is working properly. Operation can be resumed afterwards

 

[Math Geek]

i did not have to do any special formatting for mac os. so not sure what is going on there. it did take a lot more work that i expected to get it working but after many failed attempts i got it working. i have not updated it though and think i am still on an old version Sierra i think it is.

if i get a chance i'll download the new update and see what happens. until then google is your friend which is where i found all the instructions i needed to get it running.

 

[Jeff_120]

Ok I could make the virtual HDD to work, I made it fixed instead of dynamic relocation, though now I am again facing the sharing folders problem , your trick for seeing files from creating a disk worked but it's not always the best option.
Perhaps there is a particular place where we can find the shared folders under macos....

 

[Math Geek]

by any chance did you forget to install the guest additions to the vm? that solves most problems i have run into. every time i seem to have an odd issues, i remember to install the guest additions and that fixes the issue. just a thought anyway.

yah my little trick works fine unless you want to save and share that data between systems. then it quickly is not good enough. another work around is that win 10 can actually mount a virtual hdd. i've done this a few times when i actually needed to get to a vm's files and did not want to revisit the sharing nightmare. it does have to be a vhd or vhdx file but from disk management you can mount one easy enough.

but for true easy sharing back and forth you're gonna have to figure out the sharing problem. i may have some time later to revisit the problem. if i figure anything out, i'll be sure to share what i learned

edit: as a quick test, i just created a new share folder in a windows and macos vm and it shared right away. i just sleected my entire data drive and set it to automount and make permanent and both vm's have the share no problem........ i do have guest additions installed for them all as i know that is required. first time it ever worked right away

 

[Jeff_120]

by any chance did you forget to install the guest additions to the vm? that solves most problems i have run into. every time i seem to have an odd issues, i remember to install the guest additions and that fixes the issue. just a thought anyway.

yah my little trick works fine unless you want to save and share that data between systems. then it quickly is not good enough. another work around is that win 10 can actually mount a virtual hdd. i've done this a few times when i actually needed to get to a vm's files and did not want to revisit the sharing nightmare. it does have to be a vhd or vhdx file but from disk management you can mount one easy enough.

but for true easy sharing back and forth you're gonna have to figure out the sharing problem. i may have some time later to revisit the problem. if i figure anything out, i'll be sure to share what i learned

edit: as a quick test, i just created a new share folder in a windows and macos vm and it shared right away. i just sleected my entire data drive and set it to automount and make permanent and both vm's have the share no problem........ i do have guest additions installed for them all as i know that is required. first time it ever worked right away

Found the problem : guest additions is not compatible with macos Big Sur

 

[Math Geek]

good to know. saves me the trouble of fighting with it myself